Magnet toy



June 13, 1961 KOCH 2,987,852

MAGNET TOY Filed May 26, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I/VVE/VTOR Fritz KocfiATTYS.

June 13, 1961 F. KocH 2,987,852

MAGNET TOY Filed May 26, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fr/Z Kocfz United StatesPatent 2,987,852 MAGNET TOY Fritz Koch, 26 Brettnacherstrasse,Berlin-Zehlendorf, Germany Filed May 26, 1958, Ser. No. 737,643 Claims.(Cl. 46-241) This invention relates to new and useful improvements inmagnetic games or toys of the type in which a number of toy pieces orfigures equipped with or comprised by permanent magnets are movablyarranged on a nonferromagnetic playing surface and adapted as theyapproach each other to perform relative movements under the action oftheir magnetic forces. More particularly, the invention relates tomagnetic games or toys of the kind referred to and in which the magnetsare arranged with their magnetic axes perpendicular to the playingsurface.

The main object of the invention is to provide a toy in wll'ch one oftwo permanent magnets approaching one another on a playing surface, iscaused to turn about the horizontal and jump onto the top of the othermagnet.

To attain this object, the permanent magnets are initially so placed onthe playing surface that their poles are opposite. At least one of themagnets has an enlarged supporting base, for example in the form of aflat disk. In a preferred form of construction this supporting base ismade of ferromagnetic material. The arrangement is such that when one orboth magnets are moved so that the one magnet comes into contact withthe enlarged supporting base of the other magnet, the magneticattraction between the opposite upper poles of the two magnets willcause the first magnet initially to tilt about the edge of the enlargedsupporting base of the other magnet because this enlarged base preventsthe two magnets from approaching any further, and as the magneticattraction continues to act it will successively cause the first magnetto turn through an angle of 180 about the horizontal and jump onto thetop of the other magnet.

Another objector the invention is to provide a magnet toy which enablesamusing and surprising motive effects to be produced.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a magnet toy of thekind referred to, which can be readily adapted for use in a contestrequiring a certain skill.

A further object of the invention is to provide a magnet toy of the kinddescribed, which can be used as a society or round game.

Still further objects of the invention are to provide magnetic games ortoys which are simple and economical to produce, which usein-some formsof construction dummy animals or the like capable of performing naturallooking motions, and which can be used in a variety of ways.

Further advantages and details of the invention will be apparent fromthe following description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings which illustrate by way of example some preferred embodimentsof the invention. In these drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of two cooperating magnets and a propellingmagnet;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of two magnets in a modified form ofconstruction;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a toy figure simulating a person with amagnet embedded therein;

FIG. 4 is a fractional side view showing a toy figure in the form of acrocodile with a magnet disposed in the mouth thereof;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a magnet arranged in a goal and ofanother magnet in front thereof;

Patented June- 13, 1961 "ice FIG. 6 is a fragmentary top plan view of amagnetic society or round game, and

FIG. 7 is a sectional view along the line VIIV]1 of FIG. 6.

Like reference characters are used to designate similar parts throughoutthe several figures of the drawings.

As shown in FIG. 1, two toy pieces in the form of permanent magnets 2and 3 are placed on a playing surface 1 with their magnetic axesperpendicular to said surface and poled in opposite sense. The magnet 3is fixed on an enlarged supporting base in the form of a flat disk 4which may be afiixed to the surface 1 by an adhesive or other suitablemeans and is preferably made of ferromagnetic material. The object ofthe game is to make the toy magnet 2 jump onto the toy magnet 3. Toaccomplish this without touching the magnet 2 with the hand, apropelling magnet 5 is provided which is poled in the same sense as themagnet 2. The magnet 5 may be manually or automatically moved toward themagnet 2 to repel the latter in the direction of the arrow I. As soon asthe magnet 2 strikes against the edge of the disk 4, it is caused tojump onto the top of the magnet 3 in a manner indicated by dotted linesin FIG. 1.

FIG. 2 shows a modification in which a magnet 6 rests on the playingsurface 1 and the magnet 3 with its disk 4 is arranged to be movedtoward the magnet 6 in the manner described with reference to the magnet2 in FIG. 1. Accordingly, when the disk 4 contacts the magnet 6 themagnet'3 with its disk 4 will jump onto the top of the magnet 6 asindicated by dotted lines in FIG. 2.

The magnets 2, 3, 5 and 6 may be permanently attached to or embedded intoy figures which are preferably macle of plastic material. 7

FIG. 3 shows the magnet 2 embedded in a toy figure 7 simulating aperson. The toy figure 7 is adapted to cooperate with a toy figure 8 inthe form of a crocodile shown in FIG. 4. The magnet 3 with its disk 4 isembedded in the mouth of the crocodile, preferably in its lower jawwhich may be formed integral with the body of the crocodile, while itsupper jaw 9 is pivotally mounted as at 10. It will be evident that, asthe two figures 7 and 8 approach one another, the figure 7 is attractedand drawn into the mouth of the crocodile. Due to the unlike poling ofthe magnets 2 and 3, the magnet 2 and thus the figure 7 is turnedthrough an angle of about the horizontal as it jumps onto the magnet 3,thereby urging the upper jaw 9 into Wide open position. The resultantimpression is that of a person being snatched at and eaten up by acrocodile. The magnets 2 and 3 are preferably wholly covered by theplastic material of the toy figures .so as to be invisible tothe.viewer.

FIG. 5 shows an embodiment in which the magnet 3 with its disk 4 isarranged in a goal 11 on the playing surface 1. The magnet 2, which inthis embodiment simulates a ball in front of and to be brought into thegoal 11 in jumping onto the magnet 3, may be propelled by means similarto those described with reference to FIG. 1. Of course, the playingsurface 1 and the goal 11 may be modified to simulate any other kind ofgame and the goal may in any such case be formed by real structure orsimply painted on the playing surface 1 at either end thereof.

FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate part of a magnetic society game in which theplaying surface 1 is provided with a plurality of spaced upstandingguide walls 12 only three of which are shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. Theseguide walls 12 are arranged about a fiat central area at which one orseveral magnets 3 are fixed. Each two neighboring guide walls 12 definea track adapted to receive magnets 2' and 2" and have mutually displacedinterruptions through which the magnets 2 and 2" propelled by magnets 5in the manner described with reference to FIG... 1, may pass from onetrack intov the other. For the sake of simplicity only. the twoinnermost tracks, designated by 13 and 14, are shown in FIGS. 6 and 7.It. will be 'clearly'apparent that, when in the course of the game themagnets 2' and 2." meet at a point adjacent one of the interruptions,the magnet 2 will be urged by the repulsive force of the magnet 2" inthe direction of an-ow II through said interruption and may after havingpassed through the innermost interruption jump onto the magnet 3 in themanner described with reference to FIG. 1. The game may be performedaccording to a variety of rules, for example in connection with dice.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departingfrom the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The presentembodiments are therefore tobe considered in all respects asillustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention beingindicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoingdescription and all changes which come within the meaning and range ofequivalency of the claims are therefore intended. to be embracedtherein.

I claim:

1. A magnet toy comprising at least two toy pieces accommodatingpermanent toy magnets and arranged for relative movement on anon-ferromagnetic playing surface, said permanent toy magnets havingtheir magnetic axes perpendicular to their plane of movement and beingpoled in opposite sense; at least one of the said permanent toy magnetshaving an enlarged supporting base said supporting base having a heightand a width, respectively, so that when contacting with its outer edgethe other magnet at the base thereof, a relative inclination of themagnetic axes of the magnets is eifected by means of the attractivemagnetic forces acting be, tween the upper poles of the two magnetswhereby one magnet is caused to jump onto the other by: turning about ahorizontal axis.

2. A magnet toy as set forthv in claim 1, wherein the enlargedsupporting base consists of a flat disk, portion, protruding from theouter surface of the magnet supported by said disk so as to allow arelative inclination of the magnetic axes of said magnets, saidinclinationv initiating the jumping process of one magnet onto theother.

3. A magnet toy as set forth in claim 1, wherein the enlarged supportingbase is made of ferromagnetic material.

4. A magnet toy as set forth in claim 1, further comprising at least onepropelling magnet poled in the same sense as one of the toy magnets andadapted to move said toy magnet by repulsive force into proximity withthe other toy magnet poled in opposite sense.

5. A. magnet toy as set forth in claim 1, wherein a toy figurerepresenting an animal is provided and one of the magnets is fixedlyarranged. in the mouth thereof.

6. A magnet toy as set forth in claim 5, wherein the other magnet ofopposite polarity is fixedly arranged in another toy figure so as tocause said toy figure to be drawn by magnetic attraction into the mouthof said animal toy figure when one of the two toy figures is broughtinto proximity with. the other toy figure.

7'; A magnet toy as set forth in claim 5, wherein the mouth of theanimal comprises upper and lower jaws at least one of'which is pivotallymounted.

8. A magnet toy asset forth in claim 1, wherein one of the magnets isfixed to the playing surface.

9. A magnet toy as set forth in claim 1, wherein one of the said magnetsis fixed on the playing surface and at least partially surrounded by atleast one guide wall, said guide wall being arranged so that themovement of said movable magnet on said playing surface is limited.

10. A magnet toy as set forth in claim 9, wherein the magnet having theenlarged supporting base is fixed to the playing surface.

11. A magnet toy as set forth in claim 9, wherein the playing surface isarranged to simulate the field for a game comprising at least one goal,and one of the magnets is fixedly arranged in said goal.

12. A magnet toy as set forth in claim 1, wherein the playing surface isprovided with a plurality of upstanding guide walls arranged to define anumber of tracks for a number of toy magnets to move on, at least onemagnet being fixedly mounted adjacent said tracks on the playingsurface.

13. A magnet toy as set forth in claim 1, wherein the playing surface isprovided with a plurality of upstanding guide walls arranged to define anumber of tracks for a number of toy magnets to move on, at least onemagnet having an enlarged supporting base being fixedly mounted in thecentral area of saidplaying surface.

14. A magnet toy as set forth in claim 12, wherein the guide wallsextend parallel to each other and neighbori'ng walls have mutuallydisplaced interruptions.

15. A magnet toy as set forth in claim 9, wherein the magnet providedwith the enlarged supporting base is fixed on the playing surface and isat least partially surrounded by said guide wall.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,431,827 Rado Dec. 2, 1947 2,458,969 Wilson Ian. 11, 1949 2,492,423Gray Dec. 27, 1949 2,528,938 Wolf Nov. 7, 1950 2,623,326 Kinney Dec. 30,1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 936,377 Germany Dec. 7, 1955-

